Adding and subtracting indicating counter mechanism



April 26, 1949. w. A. KENNEDY ADDING AND SUBTRACTING INDICATING COUNTERMECHANISM Filed Aug. 27, 1948 2 Sheets-Shet l 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 W. A.KENNEDY ADDING AND SUBTRACTING INDICATING COUNTER MECHANISM v IN V ENTOR: Wow/men A. A ENNEDY.

A T TOENE Y IIIIIII Y April 26, 1949.

Filed Aug. 27, 1948 Patented Apr. 26, 1949 ADDING AND SUBTRACTINGINDICATING COUNTER MECHANISM Woodford A. Kennedy, Charlotte, N. C.Application August 27, 1948, Serial No. 46,401

6 Claims.

This invention relates to indicating counters such as are used inproduction manufacturing and more especially to a yardage counter fortextile cloth.

After cloth has been drawn through various processes of manufacture, itis necessary that the cloth be inspected, During the inspection of thecloth, the cloth is drawn across a table, usually by mechanical means,and a yardage counter engages the cloth and is caused to register thelength of the cloth as it passes by the yardage counter. Due to the factthat the cloth is usually drawn across the inspection table bymechanical means, it often happens that some areas of the cloh may befaulty the extent that the cloth will pass over the table faster than itmay be inspected, and as a result, it is necessary that the cloth bepulled reversely across the inspection table and reinspected at thisparticular area.

In order to insure that the correct length of the cloth be indicated onthe counter, it is necessary when the cloth is caused to move reverselyover the inspection table, that the yardage counter subtract an amountequivalent to the length of the cloth that is reversely moved over thetable. Although most counters have been able to reverse their rotationaccording to the direction in which the cloth passes by the counter, ithas heretofore been impossible to insure that the counter subtracts thecorrect amount as the cloth is passed reversely over the table inasmuchas parts of the counter often would s-li-p during reverse movement ofthe counter and would thus not indicate the correct overall length ofthe cloth upon forward movement of the cloth being resumed.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a counter whichwill indicate multiples of a particular unit of length as the cloth ispassed by the same and to provide positive means whereby upon reversemovement of the cloth past the counter, the counter will subtract theexact amount equivalent to the length of cloth passed reversely by thesame, thereby insuring that the exact length of the cloth which haspassed by the counter will be indicated :on the counter.

It is another object of this invention to provide a counter having aplurality .of conventional counter wheels therein and havingconventional means for moving the counter wheels in one direction andalso having conventional resetting means associated therein and toprovide a shaft having a longitudinally extending groove therein and onwhich the counter wheels are 'rotatably mounted and a pinion rotatablymounted-on the shaft and having a dog-carrying disk integral v.2therewith and disposed between the pinion and the first of the counterwheels.

The disk has a dog therein, which, upon reverse rotation of the pinion,will engage the longitudinally extending groove .in the shaft therebycausing the shaft to be positively rotated by the pinion, and inasmuchas the conventional reset pawls of the counter wheels normally engagethe longitudinally extending grooves for the resetting operation, thedog in the disk connected to the pinion will cause the shaft to rotatein such a manner that the groove in the shaft will remain ahead of thereset pawls in the conventional counter wheels, thereby eliminatingresistance to rotation of the counter wheels which has heretofore notbeen possible. If the shaft does not turn with the counter wheels uponreverse rotation of the same, conventional pawls which induce rotationto the counter wheels in an :adding operation would merely slip by thecounter wheels upon reverse rotation of the pinion due to resistance byfrictional contact between the counter wheels and the shaft on whichthey are mounted.

Some of the objects of the invention having been stated, other objectswill appear as the .de-

scription proceeds, when taken in-connection with theaccompanyingdrawings, in which Figure 1 is an isometric view :of an inspection tableshowing the yardage counter mounted thereon;

Figure 2 is an elevation with parts in section and being takensubstantially along the line 2-2 in Figure 1;

Figure-3 is a :top plan View of the yardage counter shown in Figure 2,and with the observer standing on the right-hand'side of Figure 1, butshowing the same removedfrom the inspection table and omitting the covertherefrom;

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view with parts broken away and beingtaken along the line '44 in Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view withparts broken away and beingtaken along the line ;55 in Figure 3;

Figure 6 is a vertical sectional view with parts broken away and beingtaken along the line 6--.6 in Figure 3 and showing the main features ofthis invention;

Figure 7 is an enlarged vertical sectional view with parts broken awayand being taken along theline 1-1 in Figure 3.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, the numeral 10 indicatesthe framework of a conventional inspection table having an angularlydisposed table top I I mounted on the upper end thereof (Figure 1) andsuitably mounted adjacent the rear of the framework in Figure 1 is aroller [2 on which the fabric cloth material l3 to be inspected -isdisposed. This cloth material I3 extends upwardly and passes over asuitably mounted idler roll l4 and then passes across the top surface ofthe tabletop l l and then passes over an idler roll l5 disposed at thefront edge of the table top II. The cloth I3 then passes downwardly to asuitable take-up means, not shown.

Suitably secured to the upper surface of the table top H is an upwardlyextending bearing block in which a portion of a support bracket 2| is'oscillatably mounted. This bracket 2| has a plate portion 22 integra1therewith (Figures 1 and 2) on which is mounted a casing for a counterhaving a cover 25 secured on the upper end thereof by screws 23 whichslidably penetrate the plate 22 and also slid-ably penetrate the easing25. The cover 2'5 has a window 21 therein through which the numerals onthe counter wheels, to be later described, may be observed.

The casing 25 has a transverse shaft notatably mounted therein on theopposite ends of which knurled wheels 3| are fixedly mounted and thesewheels 3! are adapted to engage the cloth l3 as it passes over the tabletop ll, the cloth being adapted to pass between the Wheels 3 l and thetable :top H. The transverse shaft 33 has a worm 34 fixedly mountedthereon which engages a worm gear 35 mounted on a tubular hub portion 36of a disk 37 which is a part of the invention to be later described.

The tubular hub portion is rotatably mounted on a longitudinallyextending shaft d0 disposed within the casing 25 and rotatably mountedin thickened bearing portions in the end walls of the casing 25. Thislongitudinally extending shaft 40 has a longitudinally extending keywayll therein which terminates a substantial distance from the left-handend of the shaft 48 in Figure 7 and is adapted to be engaged by theconventional reset pawls of the counter wheels to be later described.

The left-hand end of the shaft 43 in Figure 7 has a collar 42 fixedlymounted thereon as by a tapered pin 33 and this shaft it also hasperipheral grooves id and t5 therein which are adapted to beindependently engaged by the lower end of a pin 46 slidably mounted inan inwardly projecting bearin portion 6? of the left-hand end wall ofthe casing 25 as observed in Figure 3. The upper end of the pin it isadapted to be engaged by a leaf sprin member 53 which extends over theinwardly projecting portion ill and is secured as by a screw 5! to thecasing 25 (Figure 3).

Referring to Figures 2 and 3, it may be observed that the longitudinallyextending shaft 49 extends from the left-hand end of the casing 25 tothe right-hand end of the casing and penetrates the right-hand verticalwall of the casing 25 in which the shaft ift is rotatably mounted. Theshaft 40 extends outwardly beyond the righthand side of the casing 25 inFigures 2 and 3 and has fixedly secured thereon, by a pin 5d, a collar55 having secured to the right-hand end thereof, as by screws 55, acrank arm 5'! having a handle 58 secured on the outer end thereof. Theright-hand side of the casing 25 in Figures 2 and 3 has a pin 63 securedtherein and projecting outwardly therefrom, the lower side of which, inFigure 3, is cut at an angle indicated at 6|.

The collar 55 has a cavity 52 therein in which the head portion 63 of anoutwardly extending pin 66 is mounted for sliding movement in cavity 62and this cavity is restricted at its outer end by a washer 55 which ispressed into the outer end of the cavity A compression spring 56 engagesthe head portion 63 of the pin 54 at one end thereof and the other endof the compression spring engages the right-hand end of the cavity 52 inthe collar thus urging the pin 64 outwardly against the rightehand sideof the casing 25 in Figures 2 and 3.

Upon revolving the collar 55 and the associated shaft lll in a directionwhere the handle 58 moves away from the observer in Figure 3, the pin 64being positioned on the same radius as the pin engages the angularly cutsurface iii of the pin $33 and is thus urged into the bore (52 for asubstantial distance to where the pin a l will pass over the outer endof the pin 63 thus permitting the shaft to be rotated in one directionas desired, which is necessary in a subtracting operation as will belater described.

However, it is necessary upon moving the collar 55 in the oppositedirection, that the pin 64 engage the side of the pin 63 remote from thesurface iii to thus prevent the shaft t9 from being rotated during thetime the shaft ill is in the longitudinal position shown in Figures 2, 3and 7. This necessity arises due to the fact that a dog in theapparatus, to be later described, would interfere with rotation of theshaft it and would damage the counter mechanism in a manner to be laterdescribed, during a resetting operation, unless the shaft were movedfrom left to right in Figures 3 and 7 to where the pin G8 in Figure '7would engage the peripheral groove i5 instead of the peripheral groove il in the shaft 313.

Rotatably mounted in parallel spaced relation to the longitudinallyextending shaft ill in the casing is a shaft it, one end of which isfixedly mounted in the right-hand wall of the casing 25 and the otherend of which is fixedly mounted in a bearing block ll integral with theupper wall of the casing 25 as observed in Figure 3. This shaft "it hasGeneva pinions l2, l3, l4 and T5 rotatably mounted thereon which arespaced apart from each other. Attention is called to the fact that theGeneva pinions l2, l3, l4 and 15 each has every other tooth extendingfrom one side to the other side thereof all the way across, whereas theother teeth extend only half way from one side to the other sidethereof.

By referring to Figure 3 there may be observed a plurality ofconventional counter wheels, each of which bears the reference character8i] and since all of the counter wheels are identical, like referencecharacters will apply to all parts, as a description of one of thecounter wheels will equally apply to the structure of the other counterwheels, except that since the Geneva pinions have received separatereference characters, it might be stated that the Geneva pinion itengages the proximate sides of the first and second counter wheels atfrom the left-hand side of Figure 3, the first counter wheel at beingadapted to impart step by step rotation to the second counter wheelthrough the Geneva pinion 2. The Geneva pinion lt enga es the proximatesides of the second and third counter wheels from the left in Figure 3so the second counter wheel will impart step by step rotationto thethird counter wheel from the left in Figure 3 through the Geneva pinion13. The Geneva pinion id engages the proximate sides of the third andfourth counter whels from the left in Figure 3 so the third counterwheel, will impart step by step rotation to the fourth counter wheelthrough the pinion l4 and the pinion l5 engaging the proximate sides ofthe fourth and fifth counter wheels from the left in Figure 3 will causethe fourth counter wheel to impart step by step rotation to the fifthcounter wheel all by means to be later described.

Although the. counter wheels ti are conventional in all. respects, suchas shown in Kennedy et a1. Patent Number 2,224,396 of December 10, 1940,a complete description of the same follows in order to clearly definethe cooperating functions between the counter wheels to and theinvention. The numerals on the counter wheels 80 in Figure 3 are showninverted to provide a clearer conception of the other views of theapparatus, because the point or view is that of an observer standing onthe right-hand side of Figure l and lookin down on the apparatus.

The right-hand sides of the counter wheels 3G in Figure 3 arecounterbored as shown in land have secured in the counterbored portions,as by a pressed fit, a disk 55 (Figures i and 7) having an out-turnedring 66 having a plurality ofradially disposed formed notches ill in thesame. The notches 81 are adapted to be engaged by corner portions orratchet pawls 9i and 82 (Figure l) which are pivotally mounted on, 93and 94, respectively, which project inwardly from a disk 9f; looselymounted on a hub portion ill of the counter wheels 851 and covering theopen end of the counthores therein. The corner portions 9d of theratchet pawls ill and 52 are urged into engagement with the notches t!in the out-turned ring 8% by a leaf spring member tilt the opposite endsof which engage the proximate sides of the ratchet pawls Bl and 92 andthe medial portion of which is curved to pass by the shaft it.

Each of the disks $8 on the counter wheels has a plurality of equallyspaced notches H35 in itsperiphery which are adapted to be engaged byboth the broader and the narrower teeth of the corresponding Genevapinions E2, E3, "i l and '15. It is thus seen that when the disk to isrotating in a clockwise manner in Figure 4, the pawls ill and 92 beingimbedded in t; e notches 3?, will be locked in these notches and thedire"- tion ofrotation would thus cause the disk to propel the disk 85and the Wheel 80 along with it.

Pins it]? and I88, which secured the plate 85 to the counter wheel 8!],also serve to secure a disk M0 to the right-hand side of the counterwheel as and also secure a disk I l l to the cou' wheel Bil, said disklib having a notch lit the ein and the disk it! having a projection H3thereon having a notch [I l therein coinciding with the notch H2. Thesenotches H2 ll l are adapted to engage the Geneva pinions "12, 13,2! and15 depending upon which of the wheels 89 are disposed adjacent the same,the pinions, having alternate broad and narrow teeth therein, thenotches H2 and H4 engaging the lore teeth and rotating the associatedGeneva plnlOll and allowing the short teeth to move into one of thenotches in the disk so on the proximate side of the adjacent counterwheel 8!! to thus impart a one-step movement in the next succeedingcounter wheel.

The disk H!) has a substantially T-shapcd cavity Ht therein in theleft-hand end of which is loosely pivoted a reset pawl H1 in Figure 5.The free end of the pawl H! is adapted to be pressedinto thelongitudinally extending keyway till in the shaft 40 by means of aleafspring meme ber I20 disposed in the other end of the T-shaped cavity I[6.

This completes the description of the conventional counter wheels;however, the disk of the first counter Wheel from the left in Figure, 3has a bore I25 therein in which a pin liltiprojecting from a disk lll'lis adapted to be in-, serted.

Mounted between the disks and 3'! (Figures 6 and 'Z) is a disk ltilwhich is. very similar to the disk llil (Figure 5) heretofore described.The disk to has a T-shaped cavity 535 the lefthand end of which isloosely pivoted a dog I32, the free end of which is adapted to be presseto fall into the longitudinally extend l-zeyway i! in the shaft do bymeans of a leaf spng mem ber l 33 disposed in the other end of theT-shapecl cavity I31. The disks i21 Lid El as well as the worm gear 35are secured integral with each other by longitudinally et iwnding pinsI35 and which are secured therein as by a pressed fit.

The disks 12's, [3t and 3'5 and the spring pressed dog E32 are the mainfeatures of this invention.

Method of operation As heretofore stated, this counter has three basicfunctions, the first being that of counting a normal manner, in whichinstance the counter wheels all rotate on the shaft to and the shaftremains stationary, the con ter who being caused to rotate in step by srelation in a clockwise direction in Figure l and in a counter clockwisedirection in Figure 5. The second function is that of reverse rotationthe counter wheels in a subtracting operation in which instance theshaft to is caused to rotate in a clockwise direction in Figures and ina counterclockwise direction in F gure as will be presently described,the purpose of this reverse rotation of the counter wheels b ing tosubtract an amount equivalent to the length of the material drawnreversely past the counter mechanism.

The third of these functions is that of resetting the counter wheelswhich is a conventional function of the counter wheels in which instancethe counter wheels are caused to rotate in a counterclockwise directionin Figure 5 as the free ends of the reset pa -*3 iii are engaged by thekeyway in the shaft the shaft being manually rotated as will be la" l.

In the normal function or" this counter mechanism, which is that ofproviding a visible count of the length of cloth I25 passing by theknurled wheels 3!, the knurled wheels are caused to rotate in aclockwise direction in Figure 2, thus causing the shaft so and the wormin Figure 7 to also rotate in a clockwise direction. Now, as the worm 34rotates in a clockwise direction it transmits rotation to the worm gear(Figure 7) to where the upper portion of the worm gear 35 moves awayfrom the observer. This will cause rotation of the parts in Figures 5and 6 around the shaft 2-6 in a counterclockwise direction and willcause rotation of the parts in Figure 4 around the shaft M3 in aclockwise direction.

The disks 31, I39 and I37 being integrally connected with the worm gear35, Will rotate about the shaft 49 in a counterclockwise direction inFigure 6 and the pin l26, being integral with the disk [21 andprojecting into the bore I25 in the disk 96, will thus transmit rotationto the disk 96 in a clockwise direction in Figure 4, thus causing thefirst of the wheels 80 from the left in Figure 3 to rotate constantlywith rotation of the worm gear 35. It has already been described howupon rotation of the disk 96, the pins 93 and 94 which are integraltherewith will cause the ratchet pawls 9i and 92 to rotate in aclockwise direction in Figure 4, thus imparting rotation to the firstcounter wheel 88 from the left in Figure 3.

In the instance of the first counter wheel 89 the notches I65 in thedisk 56 are superfluous in that they have no function but are merelycarried by the first of the disks 96 inasmuch as this first counterwheel 86 is conventional in all respects with the exception of the bore525 in the disk 96. However, the disk ill on the opposite side of thecounter wheel 89; that is the righthand side of the first counter wheelin Figure 3, has the disk Ill thereon and the notch ill; in the disk ll!engages the alternate longer teeth of the Geneva pinion F2 to impartrotation to the same, whereby the narrow teeth as well as the broadteeth will engage the notches Hit in the disk 96 associated with thesecond of the counter wheels 80 from the left in Figure 3 thus impartinga step in the rotation of the same with each revolution of the first ofthe counter wheels A step in rotation is then imparted successively tothe third, fourth and fifth counter wheels from the left in Figure 3 ina like manner, it being understood that the second of the counter wheelswould impart one step in rotation of the third counter wheel through thGeneva pinion it with each. revolution thereof and the third of thecounterwheels would impart a step in rotation with each revolutionthereof to the fourth of the counter wheels 80 through the pinion it andthe Geneva pinion '55 would impart a step in rotation to the fifth ofthe counter wheels at with each revolution of the fourth of the counterwheels 80.

Now, as these counter wheels 80 are caused to rotate in acounterclockwise direction in Figure 5, it is obvious that the free endsof the conventional reset pawls i ll would merely slide over the keywayM in the shaft ie and would thus permit the associated sleeve 9? torotate about the shaft 40, This completes the description of the normaladding function of these counter wheels at.

Now, as the cloth I3 is moved in the reverse direction, across the tabletop l I in Figure 1; that is, from the lower edge of the table towardthe upper edge of the table, the knurled wheels 3| would be caused torotate in a counterclockwise direction in Figure 2, thus impartingrotation to the worm gear 35 whereby the lower half of the worm gear 35would move away from the observer in Figure '7.

This would impart rotation to the disks 3?, I30 and [2! in a clockwisedirection in Figure 6, and, in this instance, the dog I32 would engagethe keyway M of the shaft id to thus transmit rotation to the shaft 4!from the worm gear 35. There being a direct connection between the diskI2! and the disk 96 associated with the first counter wheel 80 from theleft in Figure 3, by the pin I28, this would cause the disk to rotate ina counterclockwise direction in Figure 4. The dog I32 is so positionedrelative to the reset pawl H1 in the first of the counter wheels 88 thatthe free end of the ratchet pawl H7 will not encounter resistance fromthe keyway H in the shaft ii) inasmuch as the free end of the dog I32will engage the keyway 4! before the reset pawl Ill would do so.

Now, if it were not for the dog H2 in the disk 536 being adapted toengage the keyway 4| in the shaft 48, the worm gear 35 would transmitrotation directly to the disk 95 on the first of the counter wheels 853from the left in Figure 3, in which instance, the disk 95 would rotatein a counterclockwise direction in Figure 4. In this instance, therotation between the disk 96 and the counter wheel 8E3 is dependent uponthe pawls 9i and Q2 remaining in engagement with the notches 8'! in thedisk 85 and it often happens that frictional resistance to rotation ofthe counter wheel 8%! around the shaft 46 is great enough to where theresistance of the leaf spring member ifiii would be overcome by thepawls 9i and 92 in such a manner that the ends of the same would becaused to move out of engagement with the notches Bl in the disk 85 andwould thus partially rotate within the counter wheel and as a result,the counter wheel 80 would not subract the correct lentgh of thematerial drawn reversely by the counter wheels El and consequently, whenthe cloth I3 is again drawn by the knurled wheels 3! in its originaldirection of travel, the overall length of the cloth would not beindicated correctly on the wheels 8! During the time that the knurledwheels 3| are transmitting rotation in either direction to the counterwheels at, as has heretofore been described, the shaft til is in theposition shown in Figures 2, 3, 6 and 7. Now, when it is desired toreset the mechanism of these counter wheels, it is necessary that theshaft 40 be pulled from left to right in Figures 3 and 7 to where theperipheral groove M will be moved out of engagement with the lower endof the pin 46 in Figure 7 and the peripheral groove 45 will be movedinto engagement with the lower end of the pin 46 in Figure 7. This notonly causes the keyway M in Figure 7 to move out of engagement with thefree end of the ratchet pawl 532, but also causes the pin (it at theright-hand side of Figure 3 to be moved to the right to where the pin 60would not interfere with manual rotation of the collar 55 in such amanner that the handle portion 58 would move towards the observer inFigure 3,

The shaft til would then be rotated in a counterclockwise direction inFigures 5 and 6 to where the keyway M would be moved into engagementwith the free end of the reset pawls Ill associated with each of thecounter wheels 80, thus transmitting rotation to the counter wheels 80in such a manner as to reset the same in a conventional manner. Thereason for the shaft 40 being moved longitudinally of the casing 25 insuch a manner that the keyway H is moved out of engagement with the freeend of the dog H2, is so that the shaft 46 will not transmit rotation tothe disks E36, E21 and 3? thereby transmitting rotation to the worm gear35 and thus to the knurled wheels 3!, inasmuch as this would probably betoo much of a load for the small dog I32 to carry and may cause breakageof the various parts associated therewith. It is obvious that thepurpose of the pin et at the right-hand side of Figure 3 is to preventreverse rotation of the shaft '30 while the free end of the dog I 32 isin engagement with the keyway 4! in the shaft 40.

It is thus seen that I have provided an improved counter mechanismembodying a positive means for reverse movement of the counter wheelswhen it is required that reverse rotation be transmitted to the counterwheels automatically due to reverse movement of other mecha- 9 nismassociated therewith such as that of moving a strip of cloth in areverse direction during an inspecting operatio in the case of a yardagecounter or the ,e. Obviously, there are many other applications forcounters embodying the principle of a reversibly positively drivencounter mechanism the counter shown in the drawings is to be regarded.only a typical application of this feature.

In the drawings specification there has been set forth a preferredembodiment of the invention, and although specific terms are employed,they are used a generic and descriptive sense only, and not for purposesof limitation, the scope of the invention being defined in the claims.

I claim:

1. In a counter having a casing and a front cover provided with atransparent window and having a counter shaft with its ends rotatablymounted in the walls of the casing h h a longitudinally extending groovetherein and having a plurality of counter wheels rotatably mountedthereon, said counter wheels having gears associated with the same andGeneva pinions and means for driving the said gear in the first of saidcounter wheeis, whereby a pre determined amount of rotation of onecounter wheel will impart a one-step rotation to the next adjacentcounter wheel, each of the counter wheels having a pair of spring pawlspivotally mounted on the gears associated with the counter wheels, saidspring pressed pawls being pointed in a direction to transmit rota tionto the counter wheels when the gears are caused to rotate in onedirection, each of said counter wheels also being provided with a resetpawl adapted to engage the longitudinally ex tending groove in saidshaft to transmit for- Ward rotation to the shaft durin a resettingoperation, and whereby upon reverse rotation of the gears the reset pawlwould normally engage the groove in the lon itu ally extending shaft,thereby causing resistance to rotation of said gears, and whereby thespring pressed pawls may have sufficient tension thereon to be depressedby reverse rotation of the gears associated with each of the counterwheels thereby causing the gear to rotate reversely independentl of theassociated counter wheel, a disk disposed adjacent the first of thecounter wheels, said disk having a spring pressed dog therein which isadapted to engage the longitudinally extending groove in the shaft, apositive connection between the driving means for the gears and the diskthrough the dog whereby the will impart rotation to the longitudinallyextending shaft upon rovers rotation of the driving means to thusovercome the resistance encountered by the gears to such an extent thatthe first-named spring-pressed pawls will remain contact with thecounter wheels thereby c 5111;; direct rotation of the counter wheelswith reverse rotation of the associated gear.

2. In a counter having a rotatable shaft with a longitudinally extendinggroove therein and having a plurality of counter wheels rotatablymounted on the shaft and provided with consecutively appearing numeralson. the periphery thereof, said counter wheels having a, counterbore inone side thereof the inside periphery of which has circular m mberdisposed therein having a plurality of equally spaced notches in theinside periphery thereof, each of said counter wheels also comprising adisk member covering the open end of the counterbore in the counterwheel and having a pair of pins thereon on which a pair of pawls arepivotally mounted, spring means urging the free ends of said pawls intoengagement with the notches in the counterbores and said disks on whichthe pins are disposed being rotatably mounted on the shaft, each of saidcounter wheels having a spring pressed reset pawl mounted therein, thefree end of which is adapted to be engaged by the longitudinallyextending groove in the rotatable shaft a resetting operation, saidreset pawl engaging the keywa being pointed in a direction opposite tothat of the pawls engaging the notches in the internal periphery of thebore, said shaft having a driven gear thereon, a dog-carrying diskintegral with said gear and having means integral therewith for lockingthe dog-carrying disk in engagement with the first of the disks on whichthe conventional spring pressed pawls engaging the inner periphery ofthe counterbore are pivotally mounted, said dog-carrying disk havingspring means therein for urging the free end of the dog in the saidclog-carrying disk into engagement with the longitudinally extendinggroove in the shaft, whereby upon normal adding operation of the counterwheels the gear will transmit rotation to the first of the diskscarrying the pawls which engage the internal periphery of thecounterbore in the direction in which the pawls are pointed to move thecounter wheels in an adding direction, and whereby upon reverse rotationof the driving gear, the disk on which the pawls are pivotally mountedwhich engage the internal periphery of the counterbore will rotate in adirection away from the direction in which the ratchet pawls are pointedand the spring means engaging said pawls associated with the counterborewill suffice to hold the pawls in engagement with the notches in theinternal counterbore provided the shaft on which the counter wheel isrotatably mounted is caused to rotate in a like manner, the dog in thedogcarrying disk being caused to engage the longitudinally extendinggroove in the shaft upon rotation of the gear in a subtracting directionto thereby cause said shaft to rotate with the gear thus overcoming theusual point of resistance to rotation of the counter Wheel in asubtracting direction and accordingly permitting the pawls pivotallymounted on the disk associated with the coonterbore in the counter wheelto transmit subtracting rotation to the counter wheels.

3. In a structure according to claim 2, said rotatable shaft beingadjustable longitudinally thereof and the longitudinally extendinggroove terminating a substantial distance from one end of said shaftwhereby the rotatable shaft may be moved longitudinally in onedirection, thus moving the longitudinally extending groove out ofengagement with the dog in the dog-carrying disk and thereby taking theload oif the dog in the dog carrying disk during a resetting operation.

4:. In a structure according to claim 3, spring pressed locking meansfor locking the longitudinally extending shaft in adjusted positionwhereby the dog in the dog-carrying disk may engage the longitudinallyextending groove in the longitudinally extending shaft duringsubtracting rotation of the counter Wheels.

5. In a structure according to claim 4, said rotatable shaft havingmeans on one end thereof whereby rotation of said shaft in a resettingop- 1 l eration will be restricted in the event that the longitudinallyextending groove in the rotatable shaft is in engagement with the dog inthe dogcarrying disk.

6. In a structure according to claim 3, said longitudinally extendingshaft being rotatably mounted in a casing, said shaft extending outardlyfrom one of the walls of the casing, a collar fixedly mounted on theoutwardly extending portion of the shaft, the proximate ends of saidcollar being disposed apart from the Wall of the casing, aneccentrically mounted pin in the collar and spring means for urging saidpin into engagement with the wall of the casing, a pin projectingoutwardly from the wall of said casing, said pin being tapered on oneside thereof whereby upon rotation of the shaft in one direction thespring pressed pin will pass over the tapered side of the fixed pin andwill thus permit free rotation of the shaft and whereby upon reverserotation of the shaft the spring pressed pin will engage the other sideof the fixed pin,

10 thus locking the shaft against rotation.

WOODFORD A. KENNEDY.

No references cited.

